The Oil & Natural Gas Corporation's (ONGC) board has approved the Rs.277 crore enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project for Lakwa-Lakhmani oilfields in Assam.

The EOR project would be two phased. The first phase of Rs.166.43 crore is expected to be completed by 2004-05, while the second phase, which would be implemented after a mid-term review, is expected to be completed by 2011-12.

The project envisages installations of two high liquid withdrawal pumps, drill 34 in-fill wells with an average depth of 3,500 metres, another 44 wells for zone transfers and an additional 47 water shut off wells, setting up high pressure gas compression facility gas compression facility to lift gas and flow lines and gas injection lines for 34 wells.

The Lakwa oilfield was discovered in 1963, while the Lakhmani oilfield in 1964. Regular production at these two fields commenced in 1968. Currently, 14,000 barrels are produced per day through 171 flowing wells with most of them on artificial lift. The in-place reserves of these fields are estimated at 188.2 million tonnes.